Easily clasped lock for earwire

ABSTRACT

A pierced earring including an elongated bar formed in an openended construction having spaced free ends, a substantially Ushaped earwire pivotally connected to the bar adjacent to one of the free ends thereof, the other end of the earwire being removably connected to the bar for mounting of the earring on the wearer&#39;&#39;s earlobe by insertion through a laterally extending slot formed in the bar.

United States Patent Pintarelli 1 July 4, 1972 54 EASILY CLASPED LOCK FOR 245,297 8/1881 Heckmann 63/l2 EARWIRE 260,692 7/1882 Krementz ..63/12 293,958 2/1884 Falkenan ..63/13 Greenvme, 421,981 2/1890 Sessler ..24/236 [73] Assignee: Pinta Products, Inc., Providence, RI.

Primary ExaminerF. Barry Shay [22] Ffled' 1969 Att0rneySalter & Michaelson [21] Appl. N0.: 882,479

[57] ABSTRACT U-S. A ier ed earring including an elongated bar formed in an [5 o en ended construction having paced free ends a ubstan- [58] Fleld ofSearch ..63/l2, l3;24/232, 236,240; tiany U Shaped earwire pivotally connected to the bar 70/456 459 jacent to one of the free ends thereof, the other end of the earwire being removably connected to the bar for mounting of [56] References cued the earring on the wearers earlobe by insertion through a UNITED STATES PATENTS laterally extending SlOt formed in the bar.

3,033,010 5/1962 Pintarelli ..63/ 12 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures msmanm 4 m2 3.673.815

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EASILY CLASPED LOCK FOR EARWIRE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to earrings of the so-called piercing type, and has particular application in that type of pierced earring formed of an elongated bar that is bent into an open-ended ring or like configuration.

The use of an elongated bar formed of flat stock and bent into a ring configuration, wherein the ends of the bar were spaced to define an open-ended ring has been known heretofore and one such earring construction is illustrated in US. Pat. No. 3,033,0l0. In the prior-known construction as illustrated in the aforesaid U.S. Pat. No. 3,033,010, an earwire of substantially U-shape was pivotally connected to the ring adjacent to one end thereof, and in order to mount the earring on the earlobe of a wearer, the other end of the earwire was threaded into an opening of an upturned portion formed on the other end of the ring. Threading the exposed end of the earwire into the upwardly turned portion in which the opening was formed was sometimes a difficult task to perfonn, particularly since the wearer usually could only feel the earring in the mounting thereof on her earlobe. Thus it became a matter of touch of feel in locating the end of the earwire in the opening when the earring was to be secured on the wearers earlobe. Sometimes the wearer had considerable difficulty in locating the end of the earwire in the opening of the upturned portion and this sometimes resulted in enough personal irritation on the part of the wearer, to cause the wearer to discard the earing. The formation of the upturned portion on the end of the ring in which the opening was formed also required an additional manufacturing step, and it is understood that such an additional step necessarily increased the overall cost of the earring.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The pierced earring embodied in the present invention comprises an elongated bar that is bent into an open-ended ring or any other desirable open-ended configuration, a substantially U-shaped earwire being interconnected to one of the free ends of the bar for pivotal movement with respect thereto. In order to avoid the threading of the free end of the earwire into an opening as was normally provided for in the prior known pierced earrings of the type embodied herein, the present invention incorporates a slot that is transversely or laterally cut in the bar of the earring. The slot is dimensioned to accommodate the free end of the earwire as it is laterally moved with respect to the bar. The transversely extending slot is preferably formed with a taper that provides a relatively wide opening along the edge of the bar for guiding the free end of the earwire into the slot. A through opening communicates with the reduced end of the tapered slot and receives the earwire with a snap action therein as the earwire is forced through the restricted narrow end of the tapered slot.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved means for connecting an earwire to one extremity of an elongated flat strip or bar.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pierced earring which is simple to manufacture and assemble and which comprises only two component parts, namely, an elongated flat bar and an earwire pivotally mounted thereon.

Still another object is to provide a flat bar for a pierced earring as bent into an open-ended ring or similar configuration, and that includes a transversely extending slot therein that receives the end of an earwire for locating the earwire in a locked position when the earring is mounted on the ear of the wearer.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawing which illustrates the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the present invention:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an elongated bar prior to the bending thereof into a ring configuration and which forms the earring of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the bar illustrated in FIG. 1 showing a transversely extending slot as formed in the bar;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the bar as bent to an open-ended ring configuration, and illustrating the location of an earwire as mounted in locked position thereof on the bar;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the bar illustrated in FIG. 3, showing the free end of the earwire as located in the transversely extending slot formed in the bar; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view similar to FIG. 2 showing a modified form of the slot construction as formed in the elongated bar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to FIG. 3, the earring embodied in the present invention is generally indicated at 10 and comprises a bar 12 which is formed in an open-ended ring-like configuration, and a generally Ushaped earwire generally indicated at 14 that is pivotally connected to the bar 12 as will hereinafter be described. Although the bar 12 is shown in a ring-like configuration, it is understood that any desirable open-ended geometric configuration can be employed, depending upon the ornamental requirements of use.

The bar 12 is formed from generally flat stock as illustrated in FIG. 1 to define a body portion 15 that is bent to the required configuration to form spaced end portions 16 and 26.

Prior to bending of the body portion I5 to the ring-like shape, the exterior surface thereof may be suitable ornamented in any desired fashion. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the end portion 16 of the bar 12 is blanked out to define an opening 18 that communicates with a tapered slot 19, the slot 19 being flared or tapered inwardly so that the mouth thereof is located at the outer edge of the bar 12. In this connection, reference is again made to US. Pat. No. 3,033,010 which shows a similar construction for pivotally mounting an earwire on an openended ring formed from an elongated bar.

When the bar 12 is rolled to the ring-like configuration as illustrated in FIG. 3, the slot 19 and the opening 18 that communicates therewith are in position to receive an end 20 of the earwire 14 that is shown being formed in a loop configuration. The earwire 14 as indicated above and as illustrated includes a generally U-shaped wire portion 21, the free end of which is indicated at 22. As seen in FIG. 4, the end 22 of the wire portion 21 is bent oppositely to the curvature of the earwire to provide for locking the earwire 12 to the bar 12 when the earring is mounted on the wearers earlobe as will hereinafter be described.

In order to mount the loop 20 of the earwire in pivotal relation on the bar 12, the loop 20 is inserted into the slot 19 and is pushed inwardly until the axis thereof is located opposite to the intersection of the slot 19 and opening 18. It is understood that when forming the slot 19 the narrowest section thereof is slightly wider than the diameter of the wire that forms the earwire 14. Thus a portion of the loop 20 will be located within the opening 18 but the axis of the opening defined by the loop 20 will be located between the narrowmost portion of the slot 19 as it communicates with the opening 18. As further described in the aforesaid US. Pat. No. 3,033,010, with the earwire so located within the slot 19 and opening 18, the adjacent edges of the end 16 of the bar 12 are squeezed inwardly to lock the loop 20 in position and thus pivotally mount the earwire 14 on the bar 12. It is also understood that the earwire 14 may be mounted on the bar 12 by locating an opening adjacent to the end 16 of the bar 12 and then threading the free end of the loop 20 through the opening and thereafter squeezing the loop 20 to close the free end thereof, thereby pivotally mounting the earwire in place. In this connection, the pivotal location of the earwire 14 is only important insofar as the position of the earwire 14 is concerned, the manner of pivotally mounting the earwire 14 forming no part of the present invention.

In contrast to the earrings of the bar type as known heretofore, the earring as embodied in the present invention provides that the end portion 26 of the bar is formed with a straight edge as contrasted with the usual upturned portion in which an eye is formed for receiving the free end of the earwire 14. In the present invention a laterally or transversely extending slot 24 is formed in the bar 12 adjacent to the end portion 26 as illustrated in FIG. 1. The slot 24 has a flared or tapered configuration, the wider portion of the slot being located adjacent to the outer edge of the bar. Communicating with the tapered slot 24 is an opening 28 that is formed in the body portion 15 of the bar and is dimensioned so as to receive the end 22 of the earwire 14 therein. As described, the slot 24 has a tapered or flared configuration although it is understood that a straight configuration as indicated at 30 in FIG. 5 may be provided if it is so desired. However, the flared configuration provides for relatively easy insertion of the free end 22 of the earwire 14 therein as will be described.

Referring to FIG. 4, the end 22 as illustrated has a bent configuration that is adapted to be received within the slot 24 and opening 28 for locking the earwire in place within the opening 28. Thus when the earwire 14 is to be locked in place for mounting the earring on the earlobe of a wearer, the end 22 of the earwire is positioned such that it is located within the wide portion of the slot 24, the bend being located below the interior edge of the slot. The earwire 22 is then laterally shifted within the slot 24 to the opening 28, the end of the earwire snapping over the restricted portion that defines the intersection of the slot 24 and the opening 28. When the end 22 as located is fully positioned within the opening 28, it is prevented from withdrawal outwardly of the bar and can only be removed from its assembled position by exerting a slight force outwardly so that it will pass through the restricted neck section for removal from the slot 24.

It is seen that when the earring is to be mounted on the earlobe of the wearer, the earwire 14 can be threaded through the pierced opening in the wearer's earlobe and thereafter the end 22 of the earwire is mounted in the assembled position since it is relatively easy to locate the end 22 within the wide slot 24. The earwire 14 can then be removed from the wearers earlobe as required.

What is claimed is:

l. A pierced earring, comprising an elongated bar that originally is formed in a flat configuration and thereafter is shaped in an open-ended ring having free ends between which a space is defined, a substantially U-shaped earwire, one end of which is pivotally connected to said bar adjacent to one of the free ends thereof, the pivotally connected end of said earwire being located intermediate the sides of said bar, a laterally extending slot formed in said bar adjacent to the other free end thereof, said slot terminating in a circular opening, the axis of which lies substantially in a plane that extends through the pivotally connected end of said earwire, the portion of the slot located at the lateral edge of the bar being enlarged to define a wide mouth, wherein the other end of the earwire is easily guided into said slot, and the intersection of said laterally extending slot and circular opening defining a restricted neck section through which the other end of said earwire is snapped for positively locating the other end of the earwire in a locked position when the earwire is mounted on the earlobe of a wearer.

2. A pierced earring as set forth in claim 1, said other end of said earwire having a bent portion that is received interiorly of said ring when said other end of the earwire is received in said slot, wherein said earwire is positively located in said slot.

3. A pierced earring as set forth in claim 1, said slot having a reducing taper toward said opening.

4. A pierced earring as set forth in claim 3, said other end of said earwire having a bent ortion that extends interiorly of said bar when the earwire is ocated in the position of engagement within said slot, wherein said earwire is positively located in said slot. 

1. A pierced earring, comprising an elongated bar that originally is formed in a flat configuration and thereafter is shaped in an open-ended ring having free ends between which a space is defined, a substantially U-shaped earwire, one end of which is pivotally connected to said bar adjacent to one of the free ends thereof, the pivotally connected end of said earwire being located intermediate the sides of said bar, a laterally extending slot formed in said bar adjacent to the other free end thereof, said slot terminating in a circular opening, the axis of which lies substantially in a plane that extends through the pivotally connected end of said earwire, the portion of the slot located at the lateral edge of the bar being enlarged to define a wide mouth, wherein the other end of the earwire is easily guided into said slot, and the intersection of said laterally extending slot and circular opening defining a restricted neck section through which the other end of said earwire is snapped for positively locating the other end of the earwire in a locked position when the earwire is mounted on the earlobe of a wearer.
 2. A pierced earring as set forth in claim 1, said other end of said earwire having a bent portion that is received interiorly of said ring when said other end of the earwire is received in said slot, wherein said earwire is positively located in said slot.
 3. A pierced earring as set forth in claim 1, said slot having a reducing taper toward said opening.
 4. A pierced earring as set forth in claim 3, said other end of said earwire having a bent portion that extends interiorly of said bar when the earwire is located in the position of engagement within said slot, wherein said earwire is positively located in said slot. 